The present invention relates in general to transformable furniture., and in particular, to a new and useful furniture unit that converts between a bed position and a table position.
Convertible furniture is commonly utilized as a space-saving expedient, for example, in living quarters having limited space, such as in studios and in small apartments that are frequently found in densely populated urban areas. A typical example of such convertible furniture is the conventional sofa-bed which provides a sofa in one mode and a bed frame and mattress in another mode.
Convertible furniture which converts from a bed to a desk may also be used in larger homes for double-use rooms, such as a guest room/home office combination.
A convertible furniture unit having both a desk and a bed function is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,195. This furniture unit does not provide a minimal storage profile and is cumbersome to operate. It also does not include the convenience of a head-board.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,671,230 discloses a wall bed which employs tension springs to facilitate movement of the bed between stowed and open positions. The hinged leg assembly support for this bed frame and its chain support for a shelf have only moderate weight-bearing capacity and rather limited stability. A multi-functional convertible furniture construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,523. It incorporates a bed frame within a shelving unit. A movable extension attached to a spool in this construction must be unrolled to support a mattress. The mattress must also be foldably stored.
Also see U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,770,813; 3,088,127; 4,070,715 and 4,476,592 for other examples of convertible furniture units having a bed position.
The present invention is a convertible furniture unit that has a base and a bed platform pivotally connected to the base for angular displacement about a first axis from an upright stowed position with respect to the base, to a substantially horizontal use position. The platform has an upper surface in the use position that is adapted to support a mattress. A table panel has a first end that is pivotally mounted to an opposite surface or underside of the platform for relative displacement between the platform and the panel about a second axis which is spaced from the first axis so that the panel is in a support position when the platform is in the use position, and the panel is in a working position to serve as a table, desk or work surface when the platform is in the stowed position. An extension or foot is pivotally connected to the table panel about a third axis at a location that is spaced from the first end of the panel, for rotation of the extension or foot between an upper position for propping the table panel in its working position, and a lower position. The extension or foot pivots on the table panel about the third axis which is spaced from the first and second axes and includes a part for supporting the table panel and the bed platform thereon, in its support position when the extension or foot is in its lower position.
The table panel can be a solid board, an engineered panel of laminates and frame or a three-dimensional structure with spaces for drawers, storage areas or the like. It can be used as a dining table, writing table, desk, work surface or similar article of furniture. The table panel includes a second end or edge, opposite to the first end. When the bed platform is moved to the lowered use position, the extension and a leg fixed to the extension are automatically folded to a load-bearing mode for supporting the bed platform. Concurrently with the movement of the bed platform, a head-board with top shelf is deployed. A stiffener or spreader member or means is forwardly extendable for stabilizing the furniture unit in one embodiment of the invention. In another embodiment, the spreader is fixed to the base and extends under the table panel permanently to support the table panel in both its working and support positions. In still another embodiment, the foot is fixed directly to the floor without the use of a spreader member. For ease of reference, this embodiment is also referred to as using xe2x80x9cspreader meansxe2x80x9d in the sense that the distance between the foot and the base is fixed. This fixed spreader means better allows the unit to be free standing. In the first embodiment which also allows the table panel to move up into a stored position, the base, could be fastened to the wall for extra safety. A spring, an optional damping device and/or a counterweight are utilized for controlling movement of the bed platform to and from the upright stowed position and the horizontal use position. Alternatively, a motor driven activator can be employed to raise and lower the bed platform.
When the bed platform and mattress, and, in the first embodiment of the invention, the table panel are in the stowed and stored positions, they are substantially housed within the base and provide a self-supporting furniture unit. As noted, the furniture unit can be attached to a wall and/or recessed within a wall. In the other embodiments of the invention which use fixed spreaders, the base may be full height or need not be as high and may only be as high as a head-board for the unit.
In view of the foregoing, it should be apparent that the present invention overcomes many of the limitations of the previously known convertible furniture designs and provides an improved transfigurable furniture unit.
Accordingly, a general object of the invention is to provide a transfigurable or convertible furniture unit which converts between different functional modes.
Another object of the invention is to provide a convertible furniture unit having a table and/or a desk configuration in one mode and a bed configuration in another mode.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a convertible furniture unit wherein counterbalancing forces are equalized when in either of the functional and the stowage modes.
A further object of this invention is to provide a transfigurable furniture unit wherein the table configuration is transformable for supporting the bed platform.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a transfigurable furniture unit having a head-board that is concurrently deployable with the bed platform.
Another object of the invention is to provide a transfigurable furniture unit that is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to, and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.